Device for intermittently feeding strip material



Sept. 9, 1969 J. H. GRUVER ETAL 3,455,937

DEVICE FOR INTERMITTENTLY FEEDING STRIP MATERIAL Filed June 30, 1967 3Sheets-Sheet l IO' MM M AGENT Sept. 9, 1969 J. H. GRUVER ET Al.3,465,937

DEVICE FOR INTERMITTENTLY FEEDING STRIP MATERIAL Filed June 30, 1967 3Sheets-Sheet 2 3 V /0\` 38 I f 30 45 4! l" mil 6 I 40 Hlm Z5 n 2 if) 2,/

i ll :"4 /6 o Zz INVENTORS.

JOHN H. GRU VE R HAL K. VOE

BY J/LZMM, N A d AGENT Sept 9, 1969 .1.H, GRUVER ET AL 3,465,937

DEVICE FOR INTERMITTENTLY FEEDING STRIP MATERIAL Filed June 30, 1967 3Sheets-Sheet 3 a; N K\ \Q v J/vvE/vTo/zs.

JUH/v H. @Rw/ER HAL KmoE BY )KM N. Zr i AGENT United States Patent OU.S. Cl. 226 76 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A strip feedingdevice for use with an imprinting machine forwards a strip containingmarginally spaced holes and advances it intermittently in equal stepsvby pin wheels which engage the holes. The strip may contain an image tobe transferred to a record form or it may itself receive an imprint,depending on the imprinting process employed.

The device may be actuated directly by the imprinting machine andincludes a drive mechanism in the form of a crank arrangement whichactuates a rack. An end of the rack is selectively positionable on thecrank means, as determined by the desired increment of advance of thestrip, and in its movement the rack and its associated partsintermittently rotate a driven shaft. The cranking arrangement alsoprovides for gradual acceleration and gradual deceleration of the drivenshaft in each cycle of operation. A brake mechanism affords accuratestopping of the driven shaft at the completion of each cycle.

A strip advancing shaft carries the pinwheels which engage the holes inthe strip, and the strip advancing shaft is normally coupled to thedriven shaft to permit simultaneous intermittent rotation of bothshafts. Provision is made to disengage the strip advancing shaft fromthe driven shaft so that it may be rotated independently of rotation ofthe driven shaft to position the strip for precise register.

A pawl cooperating with a readily replaceable ratchet Wheel isincorporated in the drive for the driven shaft so that the size of theminimum strip advance can be changed to accommodate particularrequirements.

The present invention relates to feeding devices, and more particularlyto feeding devices for strip material for use in association withaddressing and printing machines and like equipment wherein the strip isadvanced in step-by-step movement past an imprinting station in themachine.

Such strip feeding devices are particularly useful n instances where thestrip to be fed in an addressing or printing machine is a master stripbearing a readable legend on its surface and a mirror-image of thelegend on the reverse side of the strip. The mirror image istransferable by heat and pressure contact between the strip and abusiness instrument, which may be in the form of a card, envelope,magazine, ledger sheet, or the like, in an addressing or printingmachine such as in shown in U.S. Patent No. 3,018,723. Strip feedingdevices of the nature with which the invention is concerned are also ofgreat utility when used in conjunction with addressing or printingmachines of the type shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,359,850. In suchinstances, the strip is usually a series of detachable, pre-printedrecord forms which receive imprints in pre-determined areas fro-membossed plates through an inked ribbon.

Strip feeding devices as heretofore known have certain disadvantages inthat they are costly, due usually to requiring a separate power source,and are incapable of providing for accurate registration of mattereither to be imprinted on the strip or to be transferred from the strip3,465,937 Patented Sept. 9, 19769 "ice to a record form, and arefrequently noisy and unreliable in operation.

It is a primary object of the invention to overcome these difficultiesand to provide a strip feeding device which can be quickly and readilyattached to an addressing or printing machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a positive, and easilyadjustable, arrangement for intermittently feeding the strip inpredetermined increments within a range from a single line to severalinches, depending on the amount of data which is to be imprinted ortransferred.

Another object of the invention is to provide a variable speedarrangement for slowly starting advancement of the strip, reaching peakspeed of advancement of the strip at approximately the mid-point ofadvance of the strip, and gradually decelerating movement of the stripto a stop. l

A further `object of the invention is to afford a strip feeding devicewhich is operated as an ancillary function of the addressing or printingmachine operation, rather than through a separate source of power.

lIn accordance with these and other objects which will become apparenthereinafter, the best mode contemplated for the present invention isdisclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein FIG. 1 is a plan of thestrip feeding device of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of FIG. 1 showing the driving mechanismfor the device in elevation with the parts in neutral position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but with the housing in phantom andshowing the driving mechanism in operative position;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 of FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a strip feeding deviceindicated generally at 10, including a side plate 12 and a housing 14.Mounted between side plate 12 and housing 14 are tie rods 16 and 18which are effective to maintain proper spaced relation between the sideplate and the housing. Also mounted between side plate 12 and a foot 14aof housing 14, and fastened thereto in any suitable manner, is a tubularbar 20.

The strip feeding device 10 may be attached to a printing machine in thefollowing manner. A mounting rail 22 (FIGS. l and 2) is affixed to apanel P of the printing machine (a fragmentary portion of which is shownin phantom) in any suitable manner, and the bar 20 is fastened to therail 22 by means of thumb screws 24. To assist in maintaining thefeeding device 10 in proper position in relationship to the printingmachine, brackets 25 are aixed to the bar 20 in any suitable manner,e.g., by the screws 25a, and the bottom faces of the brackets rest onthe rail 22 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. To further assure rigid mountingof the feeding device 10, there isy provided a support member 26 whichis fastened to the upper surface of the bar 20 as, for example, by ascrew 21, in the manner shown in FIG. 2. An opening is provided near theupper end of the member 26 to accommodate a headed stud 28. A lock nut30 is provided to retain the proper axial position of the stud 28 onmem-` ber 26. In the mounting of the feeding device 10 on the printingmachine, the head of the stud 28 is inserted into a suitable keyholeslot formed in the panel P of the printing machine and is shiftedlaterally in the keyhole slot so as to engage the narrow portion thereofand thereby prevent endwise withdrawal of the stud 28. A clamp nut 31threaded on the stud can be run up into clamping cooper- 3 ation withthe head of stud 28, and a friction spring 32 prevents inadvertentloosening.

Journaled at one end in the side plate 12 and connected at its other endto a drive mechanism, to be described hereinafter, in the housing 14, isan intermittently rotatable strip advancing shaft 34 on which aremounted a pair of spaced, axially adjustable sprockets Wheels orpinwheels 36, the sprockets or pins of which are progressivelyengageable in marginally spaced holes in a strip S in a conventionalmanner. Strip guides, indicated at 38, may be employed intermediate thepinwheels 36, the number of such guides and their spacing in relation tothe pinwheels depending on the width of the strip S to be fed. Forconvenience, the guides 38 are slidably mounted on rod 18 and fastenedin desired positions by thumb screws 40 which are threaded into hubs 42affixed to the guides.

In order to maintain the strip S in engagement with the pinwheels 36,there are provided hold-down plates 44. Hold-down plates 44 preferablyshould be movable away from the pinwheels 36 when desired, e.g., when afresh strip is to be threaded for feeding, and for-this purpose guideblocks 46 axed to the hold-down plates are fastened to a rod 48 by meansof thumb screws 50. Rod 48 is mounted for free rocking motion betweenside plate 12 and housing 14. Counterclockwise movement of rod 48 asseen in FIG. 2 is effective to open a gap between the hold-down plates44 and the pinwheels 36 to admit and position the strip S, whereasclockwise movement of rod 48 brings the plates 44 into a positionholding the strip in mesh with the sprockets, as shown in FIG. 2. Amanually operated lever 51 may be utilized to manipulate rod 48, and anysuitable means may be employed to hold the lever in either position.

Similar hold-down plates 44a may be used with any or all of the guides38, as desired.

As stated hereinabove, the strip feeding device is preferably operatedas an auxiliary function of the printing machine, rather than having aseparate source of power. For the purposes of the invention, it isdeemed suflicient to direct attention to FIG. 1 wherein there is shownin broken lines a printing machine drive shaft PMDS the end of which isexposed through a suitable opening in the machine housing. The printingmachine drive shaft PMDS is connected by a coupling 52 to a main driveshaft 53 of the strip feeding device 10'. In this manner, both shaftsmay operate in unison, while still permitting ready connection anddisconnection of the strip feeding device with respect to the printingmachine. The main drive shaft 53 extends through a boss 1417 in thehousing 14, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, and is held against endwisemovement by a collar 54 and a collar 56, both of which are pinned to theshaft in a conventional manner.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5, there is shown a drive mechanism whichembodies a crank means. Thus, it will be noted that one end of a crankarm 58 is secured to the collar 56, and hence to the shaft 53, so thatthe crank arm 58 will be swung as the shaft 53 rotates. A clamp 60,C-shaped in cross section, is mounted on crank arm 58 and is slideablethereon so as to be selectively positionable on the arm 58. Projectingfrom the clamp 60 is a stud 62 which serves to pivotally mount one endof a rack 66. A locking screw 64 is provided for locking the clamp 60 tothe crank arm 58, in any desired position, thus enabling the crank arm58 to drive rack 66. The purpose for such arrangement will be describedmore fully hereinafter.

In FIG. 1, and in detail in FIG. 6, there is shown an outboard bearing,indicated generally at 68. Referring to FIG. 6, it will be seen that theoutboard bearing 68 is secured to a wall of the housing 14 in aconventional manner and comprises a series of spacer posts 70 and an endplate 72. Mounted for rotation within the outboard bearingv 68 andextending through an opening in the wall of the housing 14, there isprovided a driven shaft 74. Freely mounted on the shaft 74 is a spacerblock 76 having a foot portion 78 which serves as a rocking guide forthe rack 66 to hold the same in mesh with a rotary gear 80 which isfreely mounted on the shaft 74 whereby movement of the rack impartsrotation to the rotary gear 80.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 6, there is fixed to the gear 80 andmovable therewith an arm 82, having at its free end a fixed pin 84 onwhich a pawl 86 is pivotally mounted. Adjacent to the arm 82 is aretaining disc 88 which is pinned to shaft 74 and is effective toprevent endwise movement of spacer block 76, gear 80 and arm 82 alongshaft 74. Retaining disc 88 includes a hub 90 and a locating pin 92. Pin92 engages an opening in a toothed disc 94, see FIGS. 3, 4 and 6,thereby insuring simultaneous rotation of shaft 74 with disc 94. Aspring 87 extends between pawl 86 and arm 82, urging pawl 86 intoengagement with the toothed periphery of disc 94. The toothed disc isheld fast against disc 88 on shaft 74 by a cap nut 96 threaded on theend of the shaft. As can be seen clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4, the teeth indisc 94 are formed in a conventional manner so as to permit pawl 86 toride over the teeth when moved in one direction while providing positiveengagement between the teeth in disc 94 when the pawl moves in theopposite direction, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter.

It should be understood that the disc 94 may contain any number ofequally spaced-apart teeth, as determined by the increment of stripadvance desired. For example, it may be desirable in one instance toadvance the strip S in 15-inch increments, which may represent a singleline of typewriter spacing, and in another instance in 1/6- inchincrements, which may represent single line spacing of data processingequipment. All that is necessary to make such a change is to substituteone disc for another merely by removing cap nut 96, making thesubstitution, and replacing the cap nut.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that rotation of shaft74 is controlled by the following sequence of movements. Shaft PMDS isrotated with each cycle of the printing machine and, through coupling52, causes rotation of main drive shaft 53 and consequent swinging ofthe crank arm 58. By referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, it will be noted thatclamp 60 is positioned on crank arm 58 so that its right edge abutsagainst a stop pin SP. In this position, which may be termed a neutralposition, the locking screw and stud 62 are centered with respect to theaxis of shaft 53, and consequently, although the shaft `53 and crank arm58 may rotate, no movement is imparted to the rack 66. Such a condition,of course, might prevail in instances Where the printing machine isbeing operated for purposes other than the feeding of the strip S andwould make it unnecessary to disengage the strip feeding device 10` fromthe printing machine and also would prevent undue wearing of parts.However, of importance so far as the invention is concerned is the factthat the neutral position referred to hereinabove is regarded as thestarting point from which to position the clamp 60 on the crank arm 58.

Referring now to the example shown in FIG. 4, it will be noted that theclamp 60' has been moved along crank arm 58 so as to be positionedthereon in a location somewhat remote from the neutral position shown inFIG. 3. Since one end of rack 66 is mounted on the stud 62 of clamp `60,it moves a corresponding distance and, in so doing, causes rotation ofgear 80` which, in turn, moves the arm 82 and pawl 86 to the desiredinitial operating position in relation to the toothed disc 94.Subsequent rotation of shaft 53 and of crank arm -58 brings about apulling action on rack 66, whereupon the toothed disc 94 is forced in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4, by engagement with pawl86. Movement of the toothed disc 94, as controlled by movement of rack66, thus imparts predetermined intermittent rotation to retaining disc88 and shaft 74 to which disc 88 is pinned, as explained hereinabove.

An important feature of the drive imparted to shaft 74 resides in thevariable speed of travel of the rack 66 in its to-and-fro movement whichis provided by the combination of the action of crank arm 58, and thelocation of clamp 60 thereon, and the consequent offset pivot pointprovided for the rack 66 in relation to the drive shaft 53. In eachcomplete cycle of the printing machine, the crank arm 58 rotatesapproximately 180 and then returns to its starting position. Thus, whilethe shaft 53 may maintain a substantially uniform rate of speed ofrotation during this cycle, the rack 66 starts slowly, graduallyaccelerates to its maximum speed when the crank arm 58 has reachedapproximately 90 of its swing, and then decelerates gradually until thecrank arm has completed its 180 of travel. Bearing in mind that the rack66, the toothed I disc 94 and the shaft 74 move simultaneously, itfollows that shaft 74 will rotate at a rate which corresponds to thespeed of movement of the rack 66. Since rotation of shaft 74 controlsrotation of the strip advancing shaft 34, in a manner which will bedescribed hereinafter, it will be appreciated that the strip S startsits advance slowly, accelerates to peak speed approximately at themid-point of its advance, and then decelerates gradually to a stop. Suchcontrolled intermittent movement of the strip S thus provides for ahighly advantageous smooth, nonjerky advance of the strip which greatlyreduces the chance for tearing the sprocket holes, even at high speeds.

Although, as pointed out hereinabove, shaft 74 is rotating at graduallydecreasing speed as the printing machine completes each cycle, a brakingmeans is provided to insure that there will be no over-running, oroverthrow, of the shaft on completion of the cycle. A simple, but highlyeifective, brake mechanism is illustrated in FIG. 6, and comprises arotary brake disc 100 which is axed to shaft 74 so as to rotatetherewith. A stationary brake disc 102 frictionally engages brake 100,and a compression spring 104, mounted in a pair of spring seats 106,serves to maintain constant pressure of the brake disc 102 on brake disc100. Both the brake disc 102 and the spring seat 106 are held againstrotational movement by any suitable keyed engagement with the spacerposts 70. A threaded adjusting collar 108, with its associated set screw110 and deformable plug 110:1, engages a threaded portion of shaft 74 tomaintain compression of the spring 104 and also permit adjustment of thedrag of brake disc 102 against brake 100. With the braking arrangementshown, it will be readily seen that the shaft 74 may be brought to anaccurate stop on completion of each cycle.

Intermittent rotation of driven shaft 74 controls intermittent rotationof the strip advancing shaft 34 with which it is in end-to-endalignment, as seen in FIG. 6. The manner in which this is accomplishedwill now be described. By referring to FIG. 6, it will be seen that oneend of shaft 74 extends somewhat beyond end plate 72 of the outboardbearing 68 and has tixedly mounted thereon, and rotatable therewith, apin retaining member 112. The member 112 is formed so as to include apair of spaced-apart, substantially parallel annular sections 114, eachof which contains, slightly inwardly of its periphery, a number ofuniformly aligned openings 116. Each of the openings 116 is ofsufficient dimension to permit a drive pin 118 to be slideablypositionable therein. As will be seen, each of the drive pins 118 isretained in the openings 116, and in the space between the sections 114,by a compression spring 120 and a retainer 122, e.g., a C-washer. Suchan arrangement permits the drive pins 118 to normally be in either ofalternate positions A or B, as indicated, the importance of which willbecome apparent as the description proceeds.

In FIGS. 1 and 6 there is shown a coupling 124 which is mounted forsliding movement on shaft 34 while having a driving relationshipthereto. This connection is effected by the cooperation of a slot 126 incoupling 124 which engages a pin 128 iixed to shaft 34. Coupling 124 isurged into abutment with the pin retaining member 112 by the spring 130.Spring 130 is held against movement on shaft 34 by retainer 132 (FIG.1).

Coupling 124 includes a knob portion 134 and a disc portion 136. Thedisc 136 contains a series of uniformly spaced notches 138 about itsperiphery. Engagement of one of the drive pins 118 with one of thenotches 138 in coupling disc 136, as shown at A in FIG. 6, locks the pinretaining member 112 to the coupling 124, whereby rotation of shaft 74and pin retaining member 112 causes rotation of coupling 124, and,consequently, of shaft 34. The parts have been designed in such a mannerthat the condition shown at A in FIG. 6 will exist with respect to onepin only, all other pins being forced to the position shown at B. Thiscan -be accomplished by having the notches 138 differ in number from thenumber of pins 118 as, for example, by providing one less notch 138 indisc 136 than there are pins 118 in pin retainer 112.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that pin retainingmember 112, with its associated parts such as pins 118 and springs 120,and coupling 124 with its notched disc portion 136, together comprise atransmission as indicated generally by the reference numeral 140 in FIG.6.

The novel arrangement just described thus provides a positive drive forthe strip advancing shaft 34 by engagement of any one of the pins 118with any one of the notches 138, and also provides a line incrementadjustment of shaft34 with respect to the position of shaft 74. The neincrement adjustment permits the operator to rotate the strip advancingshaft 34 in either direction independently of shaft 74 and withoutdisturbing the position of shaft 74. Such adjustment may be desirable,for example, at the start of a printing operation. After the device hasbeen set up to advance the strip S a predetermined distance, it may befound that the imprint made by the printing machine is slightly out oflongitudinal register with the desired areas of the strip. Such anout-ofregister condition, of course, might also exist in instances wherean image is being heat-transferred from the strip S to a record form. Inany event, with the iine increment adjustment shown, it is onlynecessary for the operator to grasp the knob 134 and slide the coupling124 and its associated disc 136 to the left, as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 6,until the coupling disc is free of all pins on the pin retaining member112. In such retracted position, the coupling 124 can be rotated ineither a clockwise or counterclockwise direction and, through thecooperation of the slot 126 in coupling 124 with the pin 128 of shaft34, shaft 34 and the pin wheels 36 mounted thereon are rotated thedesired amount. However, since there is no pin 118 in engagement with anotch 138, shaft 74 remains stationary. Such independent positioning ofshaft 34 and the resulting movement of pin wheels 36 thus affordlongitudinal adjustment of the positioning of the strip S in relation tothe imprint to be effected by the printing machine. When such adjustmenthas been completed, knob 134 is released and spring 130 urges thecoupling 124 to return to the position shown in FIG. 6, i.e., inabutment with pin retainer member 112. One of the pins 118 will againengage a notch 138, thus locking shaft 34 in position to lbe driven withshaft 74. Because, as stated previously, there are a number of pins 11Spositioned adjacent the periphery of the pin retainer 112, and there isone more pin 118 than there are notches 138 in disc 136, only slightrotation of the coupling 124, e.g., a few thousandths of an inch,results in one of the pins engaging one of the notches.

summarizing the operation of the strip feeding device, the strip S isthreaded over the pin wheels 36 and holddown plates 44 are rocked tohold-down position, thereby preventing inadvertent displacement of thestrip. The driving mechanism should be in the neutral position shown inFIG. 3, i.e., with the clamp 60 snug against stop pin SP, crank arm 58parallel to rack 66, and pawl 86 in engagement with a notch in the orzero position indicated on toothed disc 94. Clamp 69 is then slid alongcrank arm 58 to the desired position. As stated previously, such slidingmovement of the clamp also moves rack 66 to which the clamp 60 isconnected, thereby imparting rotation to rotary gear S0 and arm 82 andcausing pawl 86 to ride over the teeth of toothed disc 94 which isstationary at this point. Assuming, for example, that the strip S is tobe advanced in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2 in 2-inchincrements, movement of the clamp 60 along crank arm 58 is continueduntil the pawl enters a notch designated by the numeral 2 on disc 94, orin the position shown in PIG. 4. At this point, clamp 60 is locked inposition on crank arm 58 by tightening screw 64.

With the set-up thus completed, the device is actuated and, as statedhereinabove, rotation of the main drive shaft 53 provides a crankingaction which pulls rack 66 toward the right, as vi-ewed in FIG. 4,causing gear 80, arm 82, and toothed disc 94, through the interventionof pawl 86, to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. Rotation of thetoothed disc 94 forces rotation of shaft 74 which, in turn, throughtransmission 140 causes shaft 34 to rotate by means of engagement of oneof the pins 118 with a notch 138 in coupling disc 136, as describedhereinabove, thus advancing the strip S by a predetermined increment. Onthe return stroke of rack 66, pawl 86 rides over the teeth on tootheddisc 94 until the rack returns to its initial position.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, it will be recognized that if, in thepositioning of the clamp 60 on crank arm 58, pawl 86 advances from the 0to the 2 position on disc 94 and such advance represents 2 inches, acomplete 180 swing of the crank arm will cause the disc 94 to be rotatedapproximately 4 inches, or twice the distance of the initial set-up of 2inches. However, in the design of the parts, if the diameter of disc 94is twice the diameter of pin wheels 36, peripheral movement of the disc94 and pin wheels 36 will be in the same ratio, and thus, rotation ofthe pin wheels will be half that of the disc 94, i.e., the desired 2inches in the example cited.

If, at this time, the imprint on the strip S or the transfer of theimage from the strip to a record form reveals that lateral registrationis desired, pin wheels 36 are shifted along shaft 34 accordingly.However, in the event misregister is indicated in the direction oftravel of the strip, the fine increment adjustment previously describedmay be utilized. It will be recalled that such adjustment may he quicklyand effectively made by backing the coupling 124 away from the pinretaining member 112 until pins 118 are out of engagement with any ofthe notches 138, and turning the coupling in either direction, and withit the shaft 34, the desired amount. Release of the coupling andre-engagement of a pin 118 in a notch 138 restores the drive to shaft34.

The foregoing description has proceeded on the assumption that the driveshaft PMDS has a continuous rotary motion. It can be readily seen,however, that the strip feeding device will work equally well in asituation where the drive shaft PMDS is oscillated. Preferably theoscillation should be through a fairly large angle near 180 to securethe full benefit of the accelerating and decelerating motion impartedVby the crank unless, of course, this type of simple harmonic variationis already exhibited in the motion of shaft PMDS. For convenience any ofthe foregoing motions of the shaft PMDS are considered to be ernbracedin the term rotation, and the word is thus employed in the subjoinedclaims.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention have been described andillustrated, it is to be understood that this is capable of variationand modification.

What is claimed is:

1. A feeding device for intermittently advancing strip material inpredetermined increments comprising:

(a) a drive shaft, rotatable during each cycle of operation of thedevice;

Clt

(b) crank means mounted on the drive shaft and rotatable therewith;

(c) a rack having one end selectively positionable on the crank meansand pivotally mounted thereon so as to be reciprocated thereby;

(d) a driven shaft;

(e) means controlled by the rack for imparting predeterminedintermittent rotation to the driven shaft;

(f) a strip advancing shaft normally connected to the driven shaft androtatable therewith;

(g) a positive drive transmission, forming the connection between thestrip advancing shaft and the driven shaft, said transmission includingmeans for providing fine increment rotary adjustment between saidshafts; and

(h) a pin wheel mounted on the strip advancing shaft adapted to advancethe strip material.

2. A feeding device according to claim 1, and further including a brakemeans acting on the driven shaft to insure accurate stopping of saiddriven shaft upon completion of each cycle of operation.

3. A feeding device according to claim 1 wherein the driven shaftrotation imparting means includes (a) a toothed disc mounted on thedriven shaft and r0- tatable therewith;

(b) a pawl engageable with the toothed disc and adapted tosimultaneously rotate the disc and the driven shaft in a directioncorresponding to the direction of advancement of the strip material; and

(c) a rotary gear freely mounted on the driven shaft and rotatablethereon by movement of the rack, said rotary gear having an arm affixedthereto pivotally mounting said pawl for engagement with said tootheddisc.

4. A feeding device according to claim 3, and further including a brakemeans acting on the driven shaft to insure accurate stopping of saiddriven shaft upon completion of each cycle of operation.

5. A feeding device according to claim 3 which includes readilydisengageable means for drivingly connecting the toothed disc with thedriven shaft while providing for ready removal and replacement of thedisc, whereby toothed discs with different tooth spacings can be readilyinterchanged by the operator.

6. A feeding device for intermittently advancing strip material inpredetermined increments comprising:

(a) a drive shaft, rotatable during each cycle of operation ofthedevice;

(b) crank means mounted on the drive shaft and rotatable therewith;

(c) a rack having one end selectively positionable on the crank meansand pivotally mounted thereon so as to be reciprocated thereby;

(d) a driven shaft;

(e) means controlled by the rack for imparting predeterminedintermittent rotation to the driven shaft;

(f) a pin retaining member mounted on one end of said driven shaft forrotation therewith, said member carrying a series of pins therein;

g) a strip advancing shaft positioned in end-to-end alignment with thedriven shaft and normally rotatable therewith; and

(h) a positive drive transmission having fine incerement rotaryadjustment between said driven shaft and said strip advancing shaft.

7. A feeding device according to claim 6 wherein the driven shaftrotation imparting means includes (a) a toothed disc mounted on thedriven shaft and rotatable therewith;

(b) a pawl engageable with the toothed disc and adapted tosimultaneously rotate the disc and the driven shaft in a directioncorresponding to the direction of advancement of the strip material; and

(c) a rotary gear freely mounted on the driven shaft and rotatablethereon by movement of the rack, said rotary gear having an arm aixedthereto pivotally mounting said pawl for engagement with said tootheddisc.

8. A feeding device according to claim 6, and including a brake meansacting on the driven shaft to insure accurate stopping of said drivenshaft upon completion of each cycle of operation.

9. A feeding device for intermittently advancing strip material inpredetermined increments comprising:

(a) a drive shaft, rotatable during each cycle of operation of thedevice;

(b) crank means mounted on the drive shaft and rotatable therewith;

(c) a rack having one end selectively positionable on the crank meansand pivotally mounted thereon so as to he reciprocated thereby;

(d) means controlled by the rack for imparting predeterminedintermittent rotation to a driven shaft;

(e) a strip advancing shaft positioned in end-to-end alignment with thedriven shaft and normally rotatable therewith; and

(f) a positive drive transmission having ne increment rotary adjustmentbetween said driven shaft and said strip advancing shaft, comprising:

a pin retaining member mounted on one end of said driven shaft forrotation therewith, said member carrying a series of pins therein;

a coupling mounted on said strip advancing shaft and having twopositions thereon, said coupling including a disc having notchestherein, wherein in one of said positions of said coupling rone of saidnotches is engageable with one of said pins in said pin retaining memberto cause rotation of said strip advancing shaft according to rotation ofsaid driven shaft, said coupling in the other position being retractedfrom said pin retaining member so as to disengage said pin from saidnotch to thereby permit ne increment rotary adjustment of said stripadvancing shaft independent of rotation of said driven shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,030,183 6/1912 Inman 226-157X1,421,489 7/1922 Joslin 226-157 X 1,785,546 12/1930 Flett 226-157 X2,175,416 10/1939 Trump et al. 226-157X 2,758,837 8/1956 Littell et. al.226-157 X 3,281,037 10/ 1966 Young 226-76 X ALLEN N. KNOWLES, PrimaryExaminer U.S. Cl. X.R.

